1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly, to a connector capable of preventing a connector terminal inserted into the housing of the connector from being dislodged, a backlight assembly lamp unit and an LCD including the connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with developments in the information industry, information processing units such as computers are advancing remarkably. Technical developments in the information processing units follow the advancement in the development of monitor devices displaying information output by the information processing units. Monitor devices are classified into two main types of displays, that is, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) type monitor devices and liquid crystal display LCD type monitor device.
The small size, lighter weight and lower power consumption make the LCD devices specially suited to replace the traditional CRTs and to be widely used as a monitor for a portable computer, a desk-top computer and even a high picture quality image processing unit.
FIG. 1 is a simplified exploded perspective view of a conventional LCD.
Referring to FIG. 1, an LCD 100 includes an LCD module 130 for displaying pictures using image signals applied thereto, and a front case 110 and a rear case 120 accommodating the LCD module 130.
The LCD module 130 includes a display unit 170 having an LCD panel 171 for displaying pictures and a backlight assembly 150 for providing the display unit 170 with a light beam.
The display unit 170 includes an LCD panel 171, a gate PCB 175, a data PCB 176, a gate tape carrier package (TCP) 174 and a data TCP 178.
The LCD panel 171 includes a TFT substrate 172, a color filter substrate 173 and a liquid crystal (not shown) interposed between the TFT substrate 172 and the color filter substrate 173.
The TFT substrate 172 is a transparent glass substrate on which a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) are formed in a matrix configuration. Data lines are connected to source terminals of the TFTs and gate lines are connected to gate terminals of the TFTs. Also, drain terminals of the TFTs are connected to pixel electrodes of indium tin oxide (ITO) that is one kind of transparent conductive material.
The color filter substrate 173 is disposed facing the TFT substrate 172. The color filter substrate 173 includes R, G, B color pixels which have been manufactured by a thin-film manufacturing process, and a transparent common electrode of ITO.
As power is applied to the gate terminal and the source terminal of the TFT of the TFT substrate 172, the TFT is turned on. By turning on the TFT, an electric field is formed between the pixel electrodes of the TFT substrate 172 and the common electrode of the color filter substrate 173. The formed electric field varies a pre-tilt angle of liquid crystal molecules interposed between the TFT substrate 172 and the color filter substrate 173 and thus the optical transmission degree of the liquid crystal is varied, so that a desired image is obtained.
Meanwhile, in order to control an aligned angle and an aligned timing of the liquid crystal molecules in the LCD panel 171, a driving signal and a timing signal are applied to the gate lines and the data lines. As shown in FIG. 1, the data TCP 178 is one kind of flexible PCB and is coupled to the source side of the LCD panel 171 to decide an applying timing of the data driving signal and the gate TCP 174 is one kind of flexible PCB and is coupled to the gate side of the LCD panel 171 to decide timing of the gate driving signal.
The data PCB 176 is coupled to the data TCP 178 to receive an image signal from an external device and apply driving signals to the data lines. The gate PCB 175 is coupled to the gate TCP 174 to apply driving signals to the gate lines.
The data PCB 176 includes a source part to receive an image signal generated from an external information processing unit such as a computer and apply data driving signals to the data lines of the LCD panel 171. The gate PCB 175 includes a gate part to apply gate driving signals to the gate lines of the LCD panel 171. In other words, the data PCB 176 and the gate PCB 175 generate data driving signals, gate driving signals and plural timing signals for applying these data driving signals and gate driving signals with proper timing. At this time, the gate driving signals are applied to the gate lines of the LCD panel through the gate TCP 174 and the data driving signals are applied to the data lines of the LCD panel through the date TCP 178.
Below the display unit 170, a backlight assembly 150 is disposed. The backlight assembly 150 includes: a lamp unit 160 disposed at one side of the LCD module 130, for emitting a light; a light guiding plate 152 for guiding the light emitted from the lamp unit 160 toward the display unit 170 to change the light path; a plurality of optical sheets 153 for making uniform the luminance of the light emitted from the light guiding plate 152; and a reflector plate 154 disposed beneath the light guiding plate 152, for reflecting the light leaked from the light guiding plate 152 to enhance the light efficiency.
The display unit 170 and the backlight assembly 150 are fixedly accommodate within a molded frame 131. A chassis 140 covers the outer edges of the mold frame 131 to prevent the display unit 170 from being dislodged.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lamp unit including a power supply line connected to the lamp in the LCD of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, the lamp unit 160 includes: a lamp 161 for generating a light in response to an external power; a lamp cover (not shown in FIG. 2) covering and protecting the lamp 161 and for reflecting the light of the lamp 161 toward the light guiding plate 152; power supply lines 163 and 164 each of which one end is respectively connected to both terminals of the lamp 161; and a connector 165 to which the other ends of power supply lines 163 and 164 are respectively connected, for connecting the power supply lines 163 and 164 with an external power supply unit for supplying power to the lamp 161. In order to maintain the position of the lamp 161 inserted within the lamp cover, lamp holders 162a and 162b are provided at portions where both ends of the lamp 161 are respectively connected to the ends of the power supply lines 163 and 164.
The power supply lines 163 and 164 are divided into a hot electrode line 163 to which a high voltage is applied and a cold electrode line 164 to which a low voltage is applied. It is noted that the hot electrode line 163, as shown in FIG. 2, is shorter than the cold electrode line 164. This is due to the following reason.
The hot electrode fine 163 and the cold electrode line 164 are extracted toward one side direction of the lamp unit 160 and are then connected to the connector 165. Then, if the hot electrode line 163 is made longer than the cold electrode line 164 and the connector 165 is directed toward the cold electrode line 164, a peripheral circuit may be damaged by high temperature due to heat generated from the hot electrode line 163.
Hereinafter, an example of the hot electrode line 163 is explained.
As shown in FIG. 3A, the connector terminal 166 is coupled to one end of the hot electrode line 163 in a screwing manner. The body portion of the connector terminal 166 is formed in an integral structure with an open structure such that the other end of the connector terminal 166 is coupled to a power terminal of an external power unit that is inserted from a direction facing the hot electrode line 163.
A hanging jaw 166a is integrally formed at the rear surface of the body portion.
As shown in FIG. 3B, the connector housing 167 has a through hole into which the connector terminal 166 is inserted Referring to FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B the connector terminals 166 are respectively connected to the hot electrode line 163 and the cold electrode line 164 and the connector housing 167 accommodates the connector terminal 166 within a through hole penetrating its body. Referring to the through hole in FIG. 3B, a first inserting hole 167b formed at one end of the through hole and into which the connector terminal 166 is inserted has a diameter greater than a second inserting hole 167c formed at the other end of the through hole and into which a power terminal of an external power unit is inserted. At an inner bottom surface of the connector housing 167, there is provided a hanging projection 167a. The hanging projection 167a is formed at a portion corresponding to the hanging jaw 166a of the connector terminal 168 to prevent the connector terminal 166 as inserted into the connector housing 167 from being dislodged from the connector housing 167.
In other words, referring to FIG. 4, when the connector terminal 166 is inserted into the connector housing 167, the hanging jaw 166a is placed at an engaged position with the hanging projection 167a, to prevent the connector terminal 166 inserted into the connector housing 167 from being dislodged from the connector housing 167.
However, since the rear surface of the connector terminal 166 having the hanging jaw 166a is formed in the shape of a straight line, it is difficult to securely couple the hanging jaw 166a with the hanging projection 167a considering movement space of the connector terminal 166 within the connector housing 167. Especially if the hanging projection 167a is worn (due to the repeated movement of the hot electrode line 166, tensile stress applied to the hot electrode line 166 when the connector is coupled or separated, and so on), the connector terminal 166 may be easily dislodged with ease from the connector housing 167, such dislodging being undesirable.